[2][3] Hoenderdos’ works are characterized by a rigorous methodological approach rarely encountered in contemporary Dutch music; a “radical research into the essence of sound”.
[5] Maart ‘98 (1998), for string quartet, relies heavily on uncoordinated glissandi of varying speeds, leaving the ear unsure whether a subtly coloured and delicate twine is taking form or steadily unravelling.
[6] Juli ‘06 (2006), scored for unaccompanied soprano voice, is inspired by a poem written by Hoenderdos’ partner Bas Geerts, in reaction to rhetoric from the White House,[6] specifically President George Bush’s 2003 State of the Union speech.
[6] Oerknal, a collective of international musicians based in The Netherlands, presented a program of string quartets called “Songs and Labyrinths” for their 2017-18 season, featuring Hoenderdos’ September ‘00, a ten-minute collage of delicate gestures and vertical sound blocks at once meditative and fleeting.
[7] In response to works by Hoenderdos including De Lussen Van Favarey (1990), Maart ‘98 (1998) and Juli ‘06 (2006, text: Bas Geerts), Samuel Vriezen said, “By their networks of structures these pieces create ambiguous labyrinths in which a striking music is hiding in plain sight.